LeNS, the Learning Network on Sustainability: Asian-European multi-polar network for curricula development on Design for Sustainability focused on product service system innovation. Funded by the Asia-Link Programme, EuroAid, European Commission. course: System design for sustainability learning resource: Life Cycle Based Eco-Design as Core Design Practice contributors: Leyla Acaroglu Organisation for the Promotion of Environmnetal Knowedge (OPEkN) Director, Eco Innovators Melbourne, Australia Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Why should a designer care about sustainbaility?... Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Source: Global Footprint Network (2007) www.footprintnetwork.org Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

The mass production and consumption of goods requires the continual extraction of natural resources that has exceeded the earths carrying capacity Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Americans and Australians consume about 10 tonnes per person each year of raw materials. US raw material consumption - 1900-1995 (Matos & Wagner) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

“ lock in” of environmental impact 70 - 80% of the total products environmental impacts are determined and ‘locked-in’ in the design phase by the decisions made by the designer (USA EPA) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia Freedom to effect gross impacts of product

2. Close the Loop Society traditionally works on a liner system with raw materials entering the cycle and wastes exiting Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Progressive Production System Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Designers have to power to influence how a product will be produced, used and disposed off Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

But, things are not always as simple as they appear to be.... Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Which is more sustainable? Plastic Wood BioStarch Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

3. Environmental folklore Folklore – the unwritten lore that guides us all We make decisions (personally and professionally) based on assumptions and our folklore But how do we know what is actually better or best? Life Cycle Assessments have shown us that some of our assumptions are not always right (paper good – plastic bad) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

What is the most environmentally damaging thing about a fridge? Is it... The way it is made? The energy it uses during its lifetime? The chemicals used during manufacture? The food it contains? What happens to it when it is thrown away? Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Based on typical household expenditure data from Australia Bureau of Statistics Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

How can we integrate eco-design into core design practice and reduce the impacts of our products? Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) A methodology for assessing the whole-of-life implications of a product What is life cycle assessment? “ a technique for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product” ISO 14040 A Life Cycle Approach Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

A methodology for assessing the whole-of-life implications of a product

What is life cycle assessment?

“ a technique for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product” ISO 14040

By understanding the environmental impacts across the life of a product, system or service, we can make decisions at the design stage that reduce these impacts across the entire life of the product. Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Leyla Acaroglu 1. Know the Life Cycle Stages Resource Extraction Manufacture Packaging & Transportation Use End of Life

Everything comes from nature at some stage Mining (minerals, metals, oil, gas, coal etc) Farming foods (livestock, crops require nutrients, water etc) Harvesting natural products (trees, seafood, coral, seaweed ect) Energy used to extract resources Pollution caused Resource Extraction Min in Newman, Western Australia 2007 (source: Edward Burtynsky) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Everything comes from nature at some stage

Mining (minerals, metals, oil, gas, coal etc)

Farming foods (livestock, crops require nutrients, water etc)

Harvesting natural products (trees, seafood, coral, seaweed ect)

Energy used to extract resources

Pollution caused

Manufacturing Manufacturing products as well as Processing raw materials into useable products such as: Ore into steel Oil into petrol Trees into paper Phone manufacturing in China 2005 (source: Edward Burtynsky) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Manufacturing products as well as

Processing raw materials into useable products such as:

Ore into steel

Oil into petrol

Trees into paper

Packaging and Transportation Packaging at every stage along a products life Transport happens at ever life cycle stage Different methods have different levels of impacts For long distances cargo ships are better the air transport Trains work of electricity (coal to be burnt) Trucks, cars, vans etc all very energy intensive Cargo ship (source: http://www.sellwholesale.com/) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Packaging at every stage along a products life

Transport happens at ever life cycle stage

Different methods have different levels of impacts

For long distances cargo ships are better the air transport

Trains work of electricity (coal to be burnt)

Trucks, cars, vans etc all very energy intensive

Use Energy use during life Consumerables Cleaning, upgrading Stand by time Maintenance services Services/infrastructure required to use (mobile phones, Tvs etc) Power socket (source: www.tuxgraphics.org) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Energy use during life

Consumerables

Cleaning, upgrading

Stand by time

Maintenance services

Services/infrastructure required to use (mobile phones, Tvs etc)

End of Life Landfill, litter or recycling Recycling still requires energy for re-manufacturing and collection of goods Preference re-use Plastic gets a bad rap, but can be recycled over and over again, paper can only be recycled a max of 5 times Biodegradable products do not degrade in landfill – they must go in a compost Plastic toy waste in China 2004 (source: Edward Burtynsky) Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Landfill, litter or recycling

Recycling still requires energy for re-manufacturing and collection of goods

Preference re-use

Plastic gets a bad rap, but can be recycled over and over again, paper can only be recycled a max of 5 times

Biodegradable products do not degrade in landfill – they must go in a compost

Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Life Cycle Thinking in Design Always ask questions What materials and processes have reduced negative environmental impacts? How can we promote value, functionality and longevity in the product? How can we reduce materials, packaging etc Map the life cycle impacts of your product or main material selections at the start of the design process. Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Always ask questions

What materials and processes have reduced negative environmental impacts?

How can we promote value, functionality and longevity in the product?

How can we reduce materials, packaging etc

Map the life cycle impacts of your product or main material selections at the start of the design process.

Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Always question the need, functionality and service offered by the product Understand the environmental impacts across the life of the product you are designing Seek to minimise impacts across the products entire life Be careful of being guided by environmental folklore Design longevity into your products Close the production loop to reduce waste Design value into your products Concluding Points Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia

Always question the need, functionality and service offered by the product

Understand the environmental impacts across the life of the product you are designing

Seek to minimise impacts across the products entire life

Be careful of being guided by environmental folklore

Design longevity into your products

Close the production loop to reduce waste

Design value into your products

Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Melbourne Australia Thank you for your time OPEkN www.opekn.org [email_address] Eco Innovators www.ecoinnovators.com.au [email_address]